Mining-machine



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MININGl MACHINE. A

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P, W. SYLER. MINING MACHINE- No. 480,418. PatentedAug. 9, 1892.

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MINING MACHINE. No. 480,418. Patented Aug. 9, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK IV, SYLER, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

MINING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 480,418, dated August9, 1892.

Application filed June 6, 1891. Serial No. 395,398. (No model.) Y

To LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. SYLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Mining-Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the improvement of mining-machines; and theObjects of my invention are to provide an improved machine of this classof such construction as to facilitate the mining of coal or other mineproducts, to so construct and operate said machine as to admit of theproduction of a narrow continuous kerf in the coal and obviate thenecessity of utilizing the machine-cutters for removing the coal boundedby said kerf, to decrease the frictional or cutting area between thecoal and the cutting-tools, to produce a desired cutting result at theexpense of comparatively slight power, and to produce other improvementsin construction and operation, which will be more fully pointed outhereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of my improvedmachine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail viewof a portion of one of the drillshafts, showing a modified form thereof.Fig. 4 is a detail view in perspective of one of the boxings in whichsaid shaft is supported. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of thecutting-chain. Fig. Gis a face view of one of the sprocket and cuttingWheels. Fig. 7 is a central sectional view of the wheel shown in Fig. 6.Fig. 8 is a plan View in detail of one of the cleaning-chains. Fig. 9 isa front end view which omits for the sake of clearness parts of themachine which would appear between the cutting-chains. Fig. 10 is asectional view on line x ce of Fig. l. Fig. 11 is a detail view inperspective of portions of one of the channel-bars and one of thesupporting-bars therefor, and Fig. 12 is an end view of the cutting-headenlarged from Fig. 2.

Like parts are indicated by similar figures of reference throughout theseveral views.

2 represents a stationary oblong frame, which consists, as shown, of anumber of parallel cross-bars 3, the upwardly projecting end portions ofwhich are connected by parallel channel-bars 4, which extend at rightangles with said cross -bars 3, with which they are rigidly connectedthroughout the length of the machine. The channels 5 of the bars 4 areformed, as shown, by flanging upward the longer sides of said bars 4.Vithin the center of each of the channels 5 and extending throughout thelength thereof is a rack 6, which consists, as shown, of a series oftransverse cog-teeth, the upper sides of which are on the samehorizontal plane, said plane being slightly below the upper surface ofthe channels 5. Vithin these channels 5 fit and slide the slideframe-bars 7 of the sliding frame of the machine. These slidingframebars are of such length as to extend from the forward ends of thechannel-bars 4 to a point a short distance in front of the rear ends ofsaid channel-bars, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Supported uponand bridging the rear portions of the sliding frame-bars 7 is aframe-plate or platform 8.

9 and 10 represent, respectively, transverse shafts, the ends of whichbear in boxings upon the plate S on opposite sides of an opening 11 insaid plate 8. Upon the center of the forward shaft 9 is mounted a bevelgearwheel 12 and on one side of said bevel-wheel a belt-wheel 13. Uponand near one end of the shaft 9 is mounted a pinion-Wheel 14, whichgears, as shown, with a gear-wheel 15 on the corresponding` end of theshaft lO. The end of the shaft 9 opposite that on which is carried thepinion 14 carries a small sprocket-wheel 1G. Upon the central .portionof the shaft 10 are loosely mounted in the usual manner two connectedand sliding bevel gear-wheels 17, which are provided with an interveningsleeve, and which is keyed 'upon the shaft 1 0 in the usual manner. The

Upon this shaft 19 areY TOI) shaft 19 upon the plate 8 between theopenings 2O and 11. The forward ends of these shafts 23 carry bevelgear-wheels 24, one of which is adapted to gear, as hereinafterdescribed, with one of the wheels 17. The outer ends of the shaft 19extend above corner recesses 27, formed in the rear portion of the plate8, and carry, as shown, gear or cog wheels 28, the teeth of which meshwith the teeth of the rack 6 of the channel-bars 4. The bevel-wheel12 ofthe shaft 9 gears with a bevel-wheel 29 upon the rear end of a shaft 30,which `is journaled upon and projects slightly in frontof the plate 8.The forward end of this shaft 30 carries a sprocket-wheel 31.

Rising from each of the sliding frame-bars 7 at a point a short distancein front of the frame-plate 8 is a bearing-block or boxingpiece 32, ineach of which is journaled the rear end portion of a horizontaldrill-shaft 33. These shafts 33 extend forwardlya short distance abovethe sides of the machine-frame and bear at the forward end of said framein bearingboxes 34, which also project upwardly from the upper sides ofthe sliding frame-bars 7. As shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, each ofthese forward j ournal-boxes 34 is provided with a horizontal mortise35, within which is snpporteda sliding or adjustable block 36, thecentral opening of which forms the journalbearing for the shaft. Thisblock 36 is adapted to be forced outward in its guideway by aset-screw37, which passes through the inner end of the bearing-box. Each of theseboxes 34 has projecting forwardly from the inner end thereof andadjoining the upper and lower sides thereof arms 38. Theforwardly-extending end of each of the shafts 33 carries, as shown, anauger or suitable drilling-tool 39. Upon each of the 'shafts 33, betweensaid auger and the boxing 34, are mounted, as shown, two separatedsprocket wheels 40. Projecting forwardly from each of the spokes 4l toeach of these sprocket-wheels 40 is a boss 42, and in each of saidbosses and in the spoke of the wheel is formed a socket 43, which, asshown, receives the stem of a cutting-tool 44, the enlarged sharpenedand cutting head of which extends to a point opposite the periphery ofthe wheel-rim. This tool is held in place within said socket by asuitable set-screw 45. The cutting-tools 44 of the forwardsprocketwheels project from the forward faces of the latter, while thecutter-tools of the rear wheels project rearwardly therefrom.

The forward and rear pairs of sprocketwheels 40 serve lo drive separatesprocket cutting-chains 46 47. Each of these sprocketch'ains consists oftheA usual open links 48, which are jointedly connected by interveningalternate links 49, the latter being solid, and the solid links of theforward chain have projecting forwardly therefrom bosses 50. The bossesof the rear chain project rear wardly from the solid links thereof, asshown. In each of these bosses and extending within the body of thesolidlink is formed a socket 51, into which is inserted the shank of acutting-tool 52, the outer sharpened and bent end of which is adapted,as hereinafter described, to come into contact with and cut away thecoal or other material to be mined. The Shanks of these cutting-tools 52are supported in their positions in the link-sockets by set-screws 53,which pass through screwholes in the bosses 50. vThe upper and lower orhorizontal portions of each of the chains 46 are provided with guidewaysformed by uniting the central portions of the horizontal channel-pieces,as indicated at 54, the joint of said channel-pieces being between thetwo chains. The forwardly and rearwardly extending Ilanges of thesechannel-pieces extend, as shown, above and below the sprocketchains,said channel-pieces being supported in the position described by theouter end connected by a transverse sprocket chain'-f belt 56, whichalso engages at the center of its lengt-h with the teeth of the sprocket31.

Journaled in the lower ends of the arms 57, which depend from the underside of the frame-plate 8, and extending beneath the shaft 9 is atransverse shaft 58, which carries a number of sprocket-wheels 59. Oneof these sprocket-wheels 59 is connected with the sprocket-wheel 16 ofthe shaft 9 by a chain belt 60. About the remaining sprocketwheels ofsaid shaft 58 pass chain belts 61, which, as shown in Fig. 8 of thedrawings, are preferably formed of jointed open links, and which areprovided at intervals withlateral projections 62. At the forward end ofthe frame these chains 6l pass about sprocketwheels 63, which aremounted upon a transverse shaft 64, the ends of which are journaled inarms 65, which extend downwardly from the inner ends of the forwardboxingpieces 34.

The operation of my device is as follows: The machine being in positionfor use, rotary motion is applied to the belt-wheelV 13 and shaft 9through a belt from a suitable motor, and from said shaft 9 motion isimparted to the shaft 10 through thewheels 14 and 15 and to the shaft 30through the gearing of the wheels 29 and 12. The double bevel-wheel 17having been moved by pressure on the lever 18 to such point on the shaft10 to cause an engagement of one of the wheels 17 with one of the wheels24, motion is transmitted through the shaft 23 and wheel 22 to the wheel2l and shaft 19. The rotation of the shaft 19 will result in a rotationof the gearwheels 28 and a consequent forward movement of said wheelsupon the rack 6, with the IOO IIO

teeth of which it engages. This forward movement, as will readily beseen, will, through the connection of the parts thereof, be transmittedto the sliding frame and the shafts 33,which are supported thereon.These shafts in addition to their forward motion will, through therotation of the sprocketwheel 3l and the belt connection therewith ofthe sprocket-wheels 55, have imparted thereto a rotary motion, whichwill result in a rapid ro'- tation of the drill-augers39 and thesprocketwheels 40. The rotation of said sprocketwheels will result inthe continuous movement of the cutting-chains 46, which are carriedthereby, and in the forward cutting-tools of the forward chain engagingwith and cutting a continuous channel in the wall of coal which may beadjacent thereto about a given space in said wall. As the forward facesof the forward sprocket-Wheels 40 are thus driven into contact with thecoal Wall it is obvious that the cutter-tools 44 of said Wheels willserve to produce au approximately circular kerf or recess in the coalwall about the auger-hole previously formed therein. In case the core orneck of coal which is thus left uncut Within the continuous kerfproduced by the chain cutters is not broken off through the action ofthe various cutting devices it is obvious that such core may be readilybroken away by the use of a hammer or other means. When it is desired towithdraw the angers and cutting-chains from connection with theY coalwall, the rotating direction of the cogwheels 28 is reversed and themovement of the sliding frame and its connected parts changed toward therear by moving the sliding bevel-wheels upon the shaft 10 until that oneof said wheels 17 which during the feeding movement was in engagementwith one of the wheels 24 is freed therefrom and the remaining wheel 17is in engagement with the remaining wheel 24. During the forwardmovement of the machine rotary motion is imparted to the chains 6lthrough the connection of the shaft 58 and shaft 9 by the sprocket-chain60. The continuous movement of these chains 6l from front to rear of themachine will result in the broken coal chipped from the wall by thevarious cutters being carried backward and out of the Way of the head ofthe machine partly by contact therewith of the lateral projections 62and of the chainlinks. In case the coal above the kerf or at otherpoints in the wall should cave vor fall upon the forward portion of themachine it is obvious that the machine may be reversed and that the rearcutting-tools of the rearV chain 47 and the rear sprocket-wheels 40 willserve to cut a way for the movement of the sliding frame through anymaterial which may have accumulated upon said machine.

From the construction and operation herein described it will be seenthat the kerf is cut from the flat sides of the chain-links and that thekerf thus produced is endless or continuous. From this result it isobvious that the area of contact between the cutting-tools and the wallof coal is exceedingly small and that the narrow kerf thus producedresults in the production of a central core of coal, which is easilybroken away or destroyed. It will thus be seen that the necessity ofapplying the cutting-tools to the entire coal surface removed is thusobviated and that a much less degree of power is necessary for thenarrow cut produced than would be found necessary in removing the samequantity of coal Where the entire surface removed is cut away by themachine-cutters.

As shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, I may provide the shafts 33 with ascrewconveyer, (indicated at 66,) which will serve during the rotationof said shaft to carry back the coal and dust from the head of themachine.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a mining-machine, the combination, with a moving frame androtating shafts carried thereby, of sprocket-wheels on the forwardportions of said shafts and a series of projecting cutters on the frontfaces of said sprocket-wheels, substantially as specified.

2. In a mining-machine, the combination, with a movable frame androtating shafts carried thereby, of sprocket-Wheels on said shafts,cutters 44, supported from the forward faces of said sprocket-wheels,cutting-chain 46, connecting said sprocket-Wheels, as described, andcutters 44, supported and projecting from the forward faces of the linksof said chain, substantially as specified.

3. In a mining-machine, the combination,

with a movable frame and rotating shafts carried thereby, ofsprocket-wheels on said shafts, cutting-tools 44, projecting from theforward faces of said wheels, drilling-tools supported in the forwardends of said shafts in front of said sprocket-wheels, and an endlesschain connecting said wheels, as described, and havingcutting-toolsprojecting forwardlyfrom the forward face thereof, substantially asspecitied.

FRANK XV. SYLER. In presence of- G. C. SHEPHERD, THos. B. PRITCHARD.

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